Dog Grooming Hints

Pet grooming has evolved into a multi-million dollar industry over the last 20 years. With advances in holistic pet care and all natural diets, new specialty pet grooming shops are opening their doors daily.

Even if you are just looking for a good haircut for your new (or older) puppy, there are some new options to consider.

Many dog owners are now opting for a “puppy cut” style. This clip leaves the same length of hair all over the dog’s body and legs with a more individual look for the head and face. There are many advantages to having your dog groomed in this style, including ease of coat care for owner and ease of clipping for the groomer.

Having your dog groomed with a “puppy cut” style will require some grooming at home between appointments with the dog groomer. A cut of this style normally leaves the dog’s coat anywhere from an inch to an inch and a half in length, giving the coat lots of bounce and fluff (and the dog’s appearance is more like a puppy). Therefore a daily brushing, or better yet combing, will be necessary to maintain this length. Pet owners should never rely on a groomer’s “magic” comb to get mats out of a dog’s coat (it hurts just as much with a stranger pulling, and your dog will hate to go to the groomer).

Grooming tools have evolved as well. Any dog owner now has ready access to professional grooming tools including: combs, brushes, mat rakes, dog grooming clippers, dog grooming clipper blades, clipper blade comb extensions, dog nail clippers, dog drying kennels, dog cage dryers.

For the dog owner that keeps a regular grooming schedule, the bare necessities are: a shedding comb, a slicker brush, and a pet nail file.

Proper health care and diet of your pet also ensures a better grooming experience. Many grooming shops have started offering holistic and all natural pet diets for sale to their customers as a way of helping to ensure better skin and coat quality in dogs. Some veterinarians now recommend a raw diet for all dogs and cats, as they are both born carnivores.

Full line dog spas can now be seen popping up in cities across the U.S. Offering services such as: full body dog/cat massage, deep tissue dog/cat massage, dog/cat acupuncture and acupressure, dog/cat temperament testing, dog/cat behavioral analysis, individual training and play time.

These service come at a price of course, but with a little research you can often find introductory coupons or referral bonus programs. You can also pamper your pet at home for a very affordable luxury. All natural shampoos and cream rinses for dogs and cats can be heavily diluted to last longer. A warm bath can be a treat for you and your pet.

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Dogs are not only part of your family but the most loyal and loving companions that you will ever have. They stay by your side when you are happy or sad and love you unconditionally. If you go out for as little as ten minutes, they let you know how much they missed you when you come back. Our responsibility, as a dog owner, is to provide our dog with everything it requires, to live a healthy, happy life.

Always feed your dog a healthy diet, as you do not want them to become overweight or underweight. Dog treats are great but stay away from ones that contain a large amount of sugar or salt. Be aware that there are people foods potentially fatal to your dog. Some of these are chocolate, onions, garlic, grapes, coffee and certain mushrooms. Give your dog only food and treats that they make specifically for dogs. Never give your dog chicken bones, fish bones or pork chop bones. There is a possibility of the bones splintering into very sharp pieces and lodging in your pets throat. Have fresh, cool water available at all times.

Dogs need daily walks, exercise and play time, so be prepared to spend time doing this. A fenced yard is great but some dogs are fantastic escape artists, so make sure your property is secure. A dog kennel that is large enough for your pet to get fresh air, look around with enough room for some exercise, is a great option for people with unfenced yards.

Dogs require grooming but how much will depend on the breed of dog or coat type. Some dogs with long hair require an hour or more of grooming daily while grooming once every few weeks is fine for others. There are dogs that require haircuts, as their coats grow continuously, such as poodles and miniature schnauzers. You should consider this when selecting a dog because, unless you cut your dogs hair yourself, it can become a little costly.

Depending on the breed, bath your dog when necessary or a few times a year. Dogs coats contain oils that protect and keep their coats clean. If you bath them too often, this can remove these oils causing the dog to have more of an odor. Bath dogs, which require haircuts, every six or eight weeks before grooming them. If you are bathing your own dog, brush or comb a longhaired dog first, as it is very difficult to untangle damp or wet hair. Start at your pets head and work your way back. A little apple cider vinegar on cotton balls works great at keeping water out of your pets ears. When there is no time to bath a smelly dog, try rubbing a little baking soda into their fur and then brushing it off.

Dogs nails need trimming occasionally. If you want to do this yourself, have the vet or a professional dog-grooming person show you the proper way. Brush your dogs teeth daily using toothpaste made specifically for dogs. This helps prevent dental problems as your pet ages.

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Owning a dog can be a fun and enjoyable experience. But the potential pet owner needs to realize that the dog, if cared for properly, will require a lot of work. Be sure you can commit to the amount of time and work pet ownership requires.

Rather you choose a short haired breed, or a long haired breed, both will require time and work on your part to insure a happy, healthy pet. Long haired dogs, like Shih Tzus, Cocker Spaniels and Maltese, will take a lot more time to keep their coats long, tangle free and shining.

A professional groomer will happily do this for you, but that can be a very expensive convenience. Unless you have a champion show dog, a groomer is neither necessary nor worth the price of something you can do yourself. Bathing and grooming can be a good bonding routine; wouldn’t you prefer your dog to bond with you, instead of its groomer?

Bathing the dog is a process that should be started as soon as he is comfortable with you. If the dog gets anxious or upset at your first attempt, remove him from the water as quickly as you can. Rinse really fast if you have too! Wrap doggy in a warm blanket or towel and do some cuddling and reassuring.

Everyone gets frightened, even dogs, and it will do you no good to “force” bath time. Take it slowly and try to coax and reassure your dog into accepting longer bath times. Soon, he will understand the process, and will no longer “fear” an unknown situation.

If you have chosen a long haired breed, combing needs to start immediately, to familiarize the dog with the routine. As a puppy, he may not necessarily need a daily detangling, but as the hair grows, so will the time spent detangling if you don’t keep at it. A wide toothed plastic comb designated just for doggy will do in the beginning.

Dogs love to relax with you, so make this a part of your evening relaxation. As you sit and watch television or a movie, have doggie’s comb handy. Pet and soothe your dog to relax him. Stroke the comb through his hair, not as an invigorating detangling, but more of a soft, gliding touch. Be sure not to pull any tangles. Gently ease through the rough spots, much like you would your child’s hair.

Use your nightly relaxing routine to prepare your dog for nail clipping. Hold and rub each paw and examine each nail, as if you were clipping them. If the puppy pulls away, don’t forcible hold on; just try again until he gets use to it. When it’s really time to clip his nails, he will be relaxed and use to the

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